I FOUND THESE SERMON NOTES

IN A BOOK WE’VE HAD FOR MANY YEARS;

NOT SURE  PERHAPS CIRCA 1978-1982.

IT COMES FROM THE HEART OF MY PREACHER HUSBAND.

 I copied it as he wrote it, omitting a brief portion.

 

 I AM HAPPY TO SAY,

IT COULD’VE BEEN WRITTEN TODAY; December 2014.

HIS DESIRE IS THE SAME.

~

To My Husband:

Even if your body changes with the passing years,

your spirit will still reveal timelessness

in the beauty and youthfulness

emanating from your heart.

~

This sermon epitomizes a life lived for Jesus.

 

~

JRA 2014

“CALL IT NOT SACRIFICE”

TEXT

PHILLIPIANS 3:8

Yea doubtless,

and I count all things but loss

for the excellency

of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:

for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,

and do count them but dung,

that I may win Christ

 

PAUL HAD ONE GOAL IN MIND, TO “WIN”:

     – BUT FOR THE RACE TO BE WORTHWHILE THERE MUST BE AN INCENTIVE:

•     WAS IT FOR SOME CARNAL PRIZE THE GREAT APOSTLE CONTENDED?

•     WAS IT MERELY TO OBTAIN A MANSION OR SOME MATERIAL WEALTH

            FOR CARNAL PRESTIGE?

            – WHY CONTEND FOR SOMETHING HE ONCE HAD AND COULD HAVE KEPT?

Philippians 3:4-8

Though I might also have confidence in the flesh.

If any other man thinketh

that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh,

I more:

Circumcised the eighth day,

of the stock of Israel,

of the tribe of Benjamin,

an Hebrew of the Hebrews;

as touching the law,

a Pharisee;

Concerning zeal,

persecuting the church;

touching the righteousness which is in the law,

blameless.

 

 

• PRIDE OF:

  – DESCENT (of the stock of Israel)

  – FAMILY TREE (of the tribe of Benjamin)

  – RACE (a Hebrew of the Hebrews)

  – RELIGION (a Pharisee)

  – ZEAL (devoted – a persecutor)

  – ATTAINMENT (blameless)

  – AND YET NONE OF THESE

• PERSONAL ATTAINMENTS

• WERE SUFFICIENT

    TO  SAVE THE SOUL!

But what things were gain to me,

those I counted loss for Christ.

Yea doubtless,

and I count all things but loss for the excellency

of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:

for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,

and do count them but dung, that

I  M A Y  W I N  C H R I S T.

 

 

 

Paul had caught a glimpse of the wealth!  A loftier prize!

• It was the prize of “God’s choice.”

  “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED (Matthew 3:17).”

• It was “Heaven’s” Prize

  – “Whom the heavens must receive”

  – CHRIST – the choice of heaven’s worship.

                     – the choice of Cherubim and Seraphim

                     – the choice of the Angelic Hosts!

And now – Paul had set his sights on the Prize!

 – said he:

 

 

“THAT I MAY WIN CHRIST!”

-Christ had become his highest ideal!

-Not to win the praise of men!

-But to attain to the likeness of Jesus!

-For this he sacrificed!

-He laid aside all hindrances and obstacles!

-He considered not the vanity of personal self-righteousness, and

worldly accomplishment!

– not trash

-not refuse

But a stronger word is used here-

– “dung.”

        -We might well ignore trash- but who can live with manure?

        -As “animal” or “dog” excrement more closely and accurately

describes the evaluation here we must place the same estimation upon

 any and all things that would hinder us from apprehending Christ!

Let all become “dung” to us, that we may win Christ!

What drew Abram out of Ur?

Was it not the desire for a better country?  A better city?

What drove Noah to labor on the ark?

Was it not the hope of escaping the coming flood in hopes of landing

 again in a better world?

What drove Enoch to leave the companionship of the society in which

he lived to walk with a friend which could not be seen with natural

eyes?

What compelled Elisha to leave the farm and to dog the path of Elijah?

– was it not for twice as much power?

What drove Joshua to shadow Moses even half way up Sinai amid the

earth’s quaking and the fearful sounds of thunder?

Was it not that he might some day lead Israel?

And what prompted the sons of Zebedee (who were being groomed to

someday take over Zebedees business) to drop suddenly his nets and

walk away from it all?

– was it not the call of the Master?

– Sacrifice?

  “Yes,” and “No.”

-Can exchanging a plastic ring for a diamond ring be called sacrifice?”

-Can it be called “sacrifice,” to trade in an older car for a new?

There is a loss that “pays:” a losing that wins!”

Proverbs 13:7

There is that maketh himself rich,

yet hath nothing:

there is that maketh himself poor,

yet hath great riches…

 

 

 

What was sweat, long tedious hours

and painstaking devotion to Michelangelo?

 Sacrifice?

Never!

Achievement?  Yes!

Accomplishment?  Yes!

Beauty?  Yes!

 

 

For through it all,

the murals painted in the fabric of his mind

were transferred to visible reality

for all to admire.

 

 

 

And so for the soul of Christ’s follower:

He is captured by a vision of the heavenlies.

He sees crowns!

He sees ransomed souls!

He sees gates of pearl and golden avenues!

But above it all – he sees one greater!

He sees his prototype!

He sees what he ever longs to become!

He sees the fruition of his longing!

He sees J E S U S!

It was no – sacrifice!

-hardship!

It was not death!

For “death is swallowed up in victory!”

 ~

Here is an old song we have sung forever it seems;

a familiar favorite,

my husband introduced many years ago,

“I must run on in this Christian race,

I must run on till I see God’s face … “

 

~

My preacher husband put his life, reputation,

his all that he might “Win Christ.”

 

~

 

 

~